New Delhi: The government will soon unveil a revised group insurance scheme called the 'Prime Minister Bunkar Bima Yojana' for powerloom workers in collaboration with the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had in his Independence Day address to the nation on August 15 announced that, "government will start a special contributory insurance scheme for one million weavers and artisans which will combine the Jan Shree Bima Yojana with group insurance".

While funds for the scheme are yet to be finalised, the scheme will have two components - coverage under the existing Janashri Bima Yojana and add on group insurance coverage for death, both of which will be administered by the LIC, textile ministry sources told reporters.

All powerloom weavers aged 18 to 59 years and below the poverty line (BPL) or marginally higher than the BPL would be eligible for coverage under the scheme, they said.

The scheme would also be applicable to families of powerloom workers engaged in the activity of weaving on powerlooms and in allied pre-weaving and preparatory activities like twisting, winding, wrapping and sizing. Self- employed weaver families owning not more than four looms will also be eligible.

Sources said that a monitoring committee for the purpose of close supervision and co- ordination of implementation of the scheme would be set up under the Textile Commissioner.

The secretaries in charge of the textiles and industry department of the concerned states and senior representatives of the LIC and the powerloom industry would be members of the committee, they added.

PTI